Terry, that would be quite a trip! Starting in early to mid-March would probably be the best time, although you still might have to contend with a few cold fronts. We had some pretty warm days by late April, but it was still nice at night, and we saw a lot more gators cruising along instead of just laying on the bank! Harry found a real good "Boating and Cruising Guide to the St. Johns River" by Tom Kranz at
www.st-johns-river.com. It identifies all the good anchorages and spots worth seeing. The southern part of the river from Palatka to Sanford is the least developed and most interesting. Very few marinas in that area, but it's more fun to anchor out anyway! You have to watch the manatee/idle speed zones around Blue Springs State Park, as they're strictly enforced - we saw a FWC patrol boat in that area every time we went thru there. The Claiborne Young guide to Eastern Florida also has a pretty good section on the St. Johns. Denny